Patterns of Predation Before dogs became pets, they were wild and lived by preying on animals big and small. Dogs would gather together to chase down an older, younger, or injured animal, grabbing the jugular vein or abdomen, resulting in a kill. All of the dogs would feed in turn, and bring some back to … Continued

Fear of Visitors = Barking at the Door Halloween is a fun holiday – for you humans. But from a dog’s perspective, however, it can be a little scary for us. Not only are our humans dressing strangely, but there are strangers at the door or in the house, and according to dog logic, that’s … Continued

With all of the dog bite attacks that circulate in the news, you may sometimes worry; what if that were you?
As a veterinarian focused on behavior and an avid runner, I’ve dealt with a lot of dogs charging towards me and threatening to bite. In spite of working with aggressive dogs as well as running by off-leash dogs on a daily basis, I have only been bitten—minor bites— a few times over the last 20 years. What’s the secret? The number one secret is to stay calm. The more you scream and try to move the more aroused you’ll make the dog—here are the two scenarios.

With all of the dog bite attacks that circulate in the news, you may sometimes worry; what if that were you?
As a veterinarian focused on behavior and an avid runner, I’ve dealt with a lot of dogs charging towards me and threatening to bite. In spite of working with aggressive dogs as well as running by off-leash dogs on a daily basis, I have only been bitten—minor bites— a few times over the last 20 years. What’s the secret? The number one secret is to stay calm. The more you scream and try to move the more aroused you’ll make the dog—here are the two scenarios.

Whether you are in the U.S., Indonesia, Australia or China, one thing is true about the dogs; they love to chase things passing by their property. Mailmen, cyclists, runners pedestrians and even cars, a dog could be lying seemingly in deep sleep and in a blink he’s on red alert. He flies out barking at full speed and after the person or object disappears in the distance, the dog returns triumphantly—and chalks up another win. It’s a success that fuels the motivation to repeat the behavior again.

As one might expect, if these dogs can leave their property, then this territorial behavior becomes particularly bothersome to passersby. In fact in regions where dogs are regularly able to roam, such as on the Island of Bali or the streets of Fiji, or an Aboriginal town camp, the behavior has lead to conflict within the community. Dogs bark at and chase people, people get scared, and they often respond by carrying sticks or throwing rocks, which leads to increased aggression from the dogs.

One way to find out how serious a bite may be is to acknowledge that different levels of bites exist. Bite levels range from minor to so severe they lead to death. Dr. Ian Dunbar first developed this bite levels system. I’m providing my modified description of these levels here.

If your dog bites or has bitten someone in the past, it is important to work with him so that it doesn’t happen again. Here are some tips and tools for training dogs so that they are safe around new people.

The Legacy of Dr. Sophia Yin, Founder of CattleDog Publishing.

Dr. Yin was a Veterinarian, Animal Behaviorist, Author, and internationally renown expert on Low Stress Handling™. Her “pet-friendly” techniques for animal handling and behavior modification, many of which she developed herself through the scientific method of research and rigorous testing, are shaping the new standard of care for Veterinarians, Petcare and other Companion and Farm Animal professionals. She passed away in September of 2014 but her work and legacy lives on.

WE ARE DEDICATED to helping others experience the same joy we share with our own pets. CattleDog Publishing takes scientific principles of animal behavior and creates practical applications that are easy to understand and accessible for everyday use. Our understanding and knowledge, and thus our training and teaching techniques, are always evolving. They allow us to create unique educational materials to empower both pet-care professionals and pet owners. Our insight into the animal’s point of view and awareness of how all our interactions affect them allows us and our pets to have fun and enjoy life together every day.